The Solution to Homelessness is Housing

Statement from ANCHOR on the Recent Executive Order Regarding Homelessness

ANCHOR is deeply concerned about the recent executive order “ENDING CRIME AND DISORDER ON AMERICA’S STREETS,” which aims to address homelessness through forced substance use treatment, punitive measures, and the criminalization of homelessness. This approach ignores decades of evidence about what works, and it risks worsening the crisis for both people experiencing homelessness and the communities in which they live.

We know from experience, and from decades of reliable data, that the only true solution to homelessness is housing. Housing is not a privilege to be earned by meeting certain conditions; it is a basic human right and the foundation for stability, health, and dignity. People are far more likely to enter recovery programs and sustain sobriety when they have a safe and permanent home. Housing First, which provides housing without preconditions and pairs it with voluntary services, is the nationally recognized best practice for addressing chronic homelessness.

This Executive Order ties housing to treatment and sobriety, effectively punishing people for being in crisis. This is not only unjust but also ineffective. People who are experiencing homelessness can, and do, recover. Even those who are unable to pursue recovery still deserve the safety and dignity of stable housing. Addiction is a health condition, not a moral failing, and the punishment for any illness, including addiction, should never be death on the street.

The impact of these policies will also strain our emergency rooms, law enforcement agencies, and court systems, which are already overburdened. When people are denied housing, they often cycle through detox centers, hospitals, and jails, which is far more costly to taxpayers in the mid- and long-term than providing stable housing. Research shows that Housing First programs save thousands of dollars per person each year by reducing hospital visits and jail stays while improving health and safety outcomes.

There are, in fact, “root causes” of homelessness which we have failed to sufficiently address at a federal level, though not in the way the Executive Order implies. Rising rents, stagnant wages, and a severe, persistent, nationwide, shortage of affordable housing drive people into homelessness far more than individual choices or behaviors. In North Carolina, more than one in four renters spends over 50% of their income on housing. Nationally, we are short more than seven million affordable homes for low-income renters. No policy that focuses on forced substance use treatment can close that gap.

At ANCHOR, we recognize that treatment and recovery services are critical and must be expanded, but they should be voluntary and supportive, not coerced or forced. Housing First does not mean housing only; it combines housing with wraparound services like case management, health care, and peer support. The stability of housing allows individuals to address substance use and mental health more effectively than strong-arm approaches ever could.

Models around the world and across the United States prove this is possible. Finland has nearly ended street homelessness by scaling up permanent supportive housing and connecting it with health and employment services. Closer to home, Houston has reduced homelessness by over 60% through coordinated Housing First strategies and partnerships with landlords and service providers. These examples show that homelessness is solvable when we choose evidence-based, compassionate solutions.

A Call to Action

ANCHOR urges policymakers, local governments, and community partners to reject punitive approaches and instead invest in permanent housing paired with voluntary supportive services. We call for funding and policy changes that expand affordable housing, address racial inequities, and create pathways to stability and recovery. We encourage residents, advocates, and faith communities to join us in calling for compassionate, evidence-based solutions that prioritize human dignity and public health.